Many smartphone users suspect that apps secretly listen to their conversations to serve targeted ads. Stories of discussing a product out loud and then seeing an online ad are common. These anecdotes fuel the belief that microphones are recording everything we say.
In reality, companies like Facebook and Google have repeatedly denied using device microphones for ad targeting, and independent investigations have found no evidence of widespread audio surveillance. Advertising algorithms use your search history, location, browsing habits and social media activity to infer interests. Smartphones can activate microphones only with permission, and capturing and transcribing audio for billions of users would be inefficient and risky. While data privacy remains a serious concern, the simplest explanation for uncanny ads is the amount of information you already share voluntarily.
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